Is a coyote just a coyote, all the time, never, or just sometimes.

Where I hunt now they are always completely silent, until they're not. Last year I had one come charging into pup distress, then a week later, same spot and time of day, another ran away when I played the same sound - and vice versa. Been in other parts of the country where they came into a call while were sitting on a hillside in white t-shirts and cowboy hats. I think its a combination of how comfortable they are, their general mood, whether they think they're the top predator in the area, etc. And what they smell of course.
 
Oldcoyotetrapper said:
The more I learn about coyotes the more I realize I don’t know about them. I also don’t think there aren’t really any coyote experts. Most of the big video guys hunt in a coyote rich environment, with lots of competition for food. Same as the old fur trappers would work an area and catch the easy stuff and move on, time is money. That said I’m not knocking any body for what they do. Reducing coyote numbers is vital to the ecosystem while a great time all in one. I think all we can do is just draw our own conclusions from our own experiences. My yotes are smart they are hunted 24/365 do to the sheep n goats. Lots are killed off quick and easy. Others is like playing a chess game in the dark, they continually evolve and learn us. So to my point, I’m working and Coyote in the pasture where I live. This coyote isn’t killing, is completely silent and alone in a big pasture. There are coyotes in the next pasture, yet they share nothing in common. I decided to make a dead pile with that last group of pigs. He hit it the first night so I hung a camera 2nd night. This is super uncommon here, yet common in other places. So this yote is just a yote or is it. Once I’ve taken it I believe some of the mystic/mystery will be reviled. Old dog trying just live out his time? Young dog trying to survive and not clash with other yotes. Sickly yote or injured in some way. I should be able to close him out by weekend end. Then in truth really what knowledge will I have gained. Probably nothing significant, as each coyote is it’s own coyote. Every coyote presents its own challenges in figure out how to take it. All coyotes aren’t killers of stock and or fawns. I know this to be true, now can they become killers. That one I cannot be certain, I’ve killed a lot of yotes that survive on plants and rodents. While living among goats that were kidding. Coyotes are probably the most fascinating critter to me. It kinda hurts me to know that I’ll never really know them.View attachment 11083View attachment 11084View attachment 11085
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You wrote a good analogy on your views of coyotes. What many if not most coyote hunter(s) do not do is. Observe them un-molested. Observe them from a distance. Whether that coyote is alone, paired up or in a Family unit. Most hunters do not realize. How they truly use the wind. While in their natural habitat. Many hunters do not realize. Just how keen their hearing ability is.(Try sneaking in on one. When the ground underfoot is crunchy loud). Many if not most hunters. Do not realize, the fact that coyotes spend the vast majority of their time. On the down-wind slopes of hills/ridgelines. Many if not most coyotes, while awake. Continually scan their down & cross-wind areas. Many if not most coyote hunters. Don't realize, coyotes use the up-wind/windward side of hills. Mainly as transition areas. To get from one down-wind area. To the next down-wind area. Coyotes tend not to linger long, out in the wind. Or on the windward side of hills/ridge lines areas. I read a phrase a long time ago & it has merit. "A dead coyote never taught me a thing" Author~ unknown. I've read quite a bit of other coyote hunter's views. Some have merit & are a worthy read. While other's opinions are misguided. Because that hunter did not act ideal. But because of his/her lack of coyote behavior knowledge. And understanding a coyote's abilities. Managed to kill one anyway. Thus, that hunter learned a false truth. When hunting a given coyote in the future. Coyotes are a remarkable critter, for sure.
 
medic joe said:
You wrote a good analogy on your views of coyotes. What many if not most coyote hunter(s) do not do is. Observe them un-molested. Observe them from a distance. Whether that coyote is alone, paired up or in a Family unit. Most hunters do not realize. How they truly use the wind. While in their natural habitat. Many hunters do not realize. Just how keen their hearing ability is.(Try sneaking in on one. When the ground underfoot is crunchy loud). Many if not most hunters. Do not realize, the fact that coyotes spend the vast majority of their time. On the down-wind slopes of hills/ridgelines. Many if not most coyotes, while awake. Continually scan their down & cross-wind areas. Many if not most coyote hunters. Don't realize, coyotes use the up-wind/windward side of hills. Mainly as transition areas. To get from one down-wind area. To the next down-wind area. Coyotes tend not to linger long, out in the wind. Or on the windward side of hills/ridge lines areas. I read a phrase a long time ago & it has merit. "A dead coyote never taught me a thing" Author~ unknown. I've read quite a bit of other coyote hunter's views. Some have merit & are a worthy read. While other's opinions are misguided. Because that hunter did not act ideal. But because of his/her lack of coyote behavior knowledge. And understanding a coyote's abilities. Managed to kill one anyway. Thus, that hunter learned a false truth. When hunting a given coyote in the future. Coyotes are a remarkable critter, for sure.
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Just my opinion here… I like to give credit where credit is due. I will say that (I believe?) that “many, if not most” accomplished coyote hunters know and understand all or most of the things you have laid out in your post. They became accomplished hunters by sticking with it and figuring out “many, if not most” of the things you laid out about the coyote in your post.

I will give it to you that inexperienced coyote hunters (probably) do not understand these things. The “many, if not most” that don’t figure it out, (generally) do not stick with the sport. The remaining ones (generally) go on to become reasonably established coyote hunters, and with time, experience and dogged determination to excel, become accomplished coyote hunters.
 
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hunt0168 said:
Just my opinion here… I like to give credit where credit is due. I will say that (I believe?) that “many, if not most” accomplished coyote hunters know and understand all or most of the things you have laid out in your post. They became accomplished hunters by sticking with it and figuring out “many, if not most” of the things you laid out about the coyote in your post.

I will give it to you that inexperienced coyote hunters (probably) do not understand these things. The “many, if not most” that don’t figure it out, (generally) do not stick with the sport. The remaining ones (generally) go on to become reasonably established coyote hunters, and with time, experience and dogged determination to excel, become accomplished coyote hunters.
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Hunt0168, When you used the word "accomplished". Made me realize you get me. For many/most hunters. Who have taken the time to understand coyote behaviors & abilities. Are indeed on the "'accomplished" trail of knowledge. One example I've picked up from some less experienced hunters is. Their lack of attention to not making noise on the way into a land mass. To either make a call stand or sneak in on a sleeper coyote. They seen from a roadway. They would tromp into an area. Like a bull in a china closet. Another hunt tactic many hunters. Even ones with experience do not fully grasp. Is walking into an area. With the wind in their face. The down-side to that tactic is. A coyote up ahead over the next ridgeline. Will be looking his way. When a hunter does that. He just reduced his own odds. Thus, he hasn't learned much. Same stupid tactic, repeated over & over. The point to my rambling is. Remain stealthy quiet, hidden from a coyotes view. And keep your scent from waffling to them. In finality, beat that coyotes sense's. And you will become & remain much more successful.
 
You bring up a good point. While we don’t have the “advantage” of being able to see long distances, still the concept of sneaking in is the same.
There’s been many times I set the caller, get back to the gun on the tripod, hit the caller and less than 15secs a coyote is there. Learned the hard way to NOT hit the caller until you are on the gun and in the scope. All that tells me is he was CLOSE the entire time I snuck in and set everything up.
 
every set I make starts well before ever leave the truck. It’s a calculated plan based on many factors. Calculations can get muddled at any time after leaving the truck and need recalculation. You need to adapt to the hand you’re dealt when your in it. Sometimes that simply means backing out. Other times it just requires a slight shift in your approach or stand position.

I look at it like this… If a coyote is going to use every instinct and every one of its senses to survive, I’m going to do everything in my being to try and combat them. In my mind, being quiet, keeping the wind in your favor and keeping yourself from becoming a coyote’s visual interest is elementary. If you’re not doing those 3 things you probably need a different hobby. Beyond those 3 things you start trying to get into that critter’s head and make it come to eat, fight, breed or just see who’s in the neighborhood.

Seems simple enough. But you gotta work at it. And that’s what separates the “accomplished” from the “quitters”.
 
medic joe said:
You wrote a good analogy on your views of coyotes. What many if not most coyote hunter(s) do not do is. Observe them un-molested. Observe them from a distance. Whether that coyote is alone, paired up or in a Family unit. Most hunters do not realize. How they truly use the wind. While in their natural habitat. Many hunters do not realize. Just how keen their hearing ability is.(Try sneaking in on one. When the ground underfoot is crunchy loud). Many if not most hunters. Do not realize, the fact that coyotes spend the vast majority of their time. On the down-wind slopes of hills/ridgelines. Many if not most coyotes, while awake. Continually scan their down & cross-wind areas. Many if not most coyote hunters. Don't realize, coyotes use the up-wind/windward side of hills. Mainly as transition areas. To get from one down-wind area. To the next down-wind area. Coyotes tend not to linger long, out in the wind. Or on the windward side of hills/ridge lines areas. I read a phrase a long time ago & it has merit. "A dead coyote never taught me a thing" Author~ unknown. I've read quite a bit of other coyote hunter's views. Some have merit & are a worthy read. While other's opinions are misguided. Because that hunter did not act ideal. But because of his/her lack of coyote behavior knowledge. And understanding a coyote's abilities. Managed to kill one anyway. Thus, that hunter learned a false truth. When hunting a given coyote in the future. Coyotes are a remarkable critter, for sure.
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They are definitely interesting. I often wonder what I could learn if I just watched them. Problem is with my job I often have to shoot on sight cause I might not get another chance. Now trapping them I get to see their tracks and how they appoarch said trap set. Often missing by 1” could be due to their appoarch cause wind shifted slightly. They will always be 1 step ahead of us.
 
medic joe said:
Hunt0168, When you used the word "accomplished". Made me realize you get me. For many/most hunters. Who have taken the time to understand coyote behaviors & abilities. Are indeed on the "'accomplished" trail of knowledge. One example I've picked up from some less experienced hunters is. Their lack of attention to not making noise on the way into a land mass. To either make a call stand or sneak in on a sleeper coyote. They seen from a roadway. They would tromp into an area. Like a bull in a china closet. Another hunt tactic many hunters. Even ones with experience do not fully grasp. Is walking into an area. With the wind in their face. The down-side to that tactic is. A coyote up ahead over the next ridgeline. Will be looking his way. When a hunter does that. He just reduced his own odds. Thus, he hasn't learned much. Same stupid tactic, repeated over & over. The point to my rambling is. Remain stealthy quiet, hidden from a coyotes view. And keep your scent from waffling to them. In finality, beat that coyotes sense's. And you will become & remain much more successful.
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I've hunted the North central plains since the early 60's. Most fox & coyote hunters back then. Still are "Spot/stalkers" vs callers. In my youth, I did not take the time to just observe their behaviors. But not many years afterwards. I've watched hundreds of them. Many hundreds of them. I did not try to sneak in on any of them. I just observed them from a distance. Because I felt it a better option. For them to teach me. I've observed (many) single coyotes, pairs of coyotes & coyote family groups. Giving them all a free pass, for the lessons I've learned from them. So I have observed how they use terrain according to wind directions & varied wind speeds. It was my intent to get into their head. Have them teach me. Doing all of that. Has made me a more skillful hunter.
 
A constant behavior I've noticed in observing coyotes. They routinely bed down on the down wind slopes of hills ridgelines. 99.9% of the time having the wind at their back. I have also noticed the higher the wind speed. The more in alignment. Their muzzle will be facing "their down-wind". Knowing this behavior. Makes a hunt much more worthwhile. While walking to a call stand or sneaking in on a bedded coyote. Avoid those angles. So a hunter can draw nearer to them. MOST hunters in my opinion. Either do not know or grasp that knowledge. Know your quarry's behavior(s). Will offer you greater hunt success. I can look at most any picture of a bedded down coyote. And tell which way the wind is blowing. Coyotes imo, are all different. But only to a minor extent. As to their behaviors.
 
medic joe said:
A constant behavior I've noticed in observing coyotes. They routinely bed down on the down wind slopes of hills ridgelines. 99.9% of the time having the wind at their back. I have also noticed the higher the wind speed. The more in alignment. Their muzzle will be facing "their down-wind". Knowing this behavior. Makes a hunt much more worthwhile. While walking to a call stand or sneaking in on a bedded coyote. Avoid those angles. So a hunter can draw nearer to them. MOST hunters in my opinion. Either do not know or grasp that knowledge. Know your quarry's behavior(s). Will offer you greater hunt success. I can look at most any picture of a bedded down coyote. And tell which way the wind is blowing. Coyotes imo, are all different. But only to a minor extent. As to their behaviors.
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Welcome to PM! Is that your, Kirby? ;)
 
I think just about all wild animals face downwind and use their nose to alert them of anything upwind. I watch deer bed down and do the same.
 
Spurchaser said:
I think just about all wild animals face downwind and use their nose to alert them of anything upwind. I watch deer bed down and do the same.
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What you state is true. But of all of the wild critters I've observed. When it comes to wild canines, that is a given. It is the canines that are most sensitive. Cutting any wind from blowing in their face. 99.9% of the time. They always angle away from it upon their face. Even some of the most experienced hunters. Have never grasped that canine behavior.
 
hm1996 said:
Welcome to PM! Is that your, Kirby? ;)
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Who I'm hm1996. Is an old (I'm in my 70's) predator hunter. Who has hunted the North central Plaines region. Most of the other predator hunters I've met. Are all spot/stalkers. Spot/stalking is one of the oldest form/style of hunting most wild game. To be successful, it is best to understand your quarry & it's behaviors/abilities. As well as overcoming your quarry's abilities. Mastering all of that. Is a lifetime journey.
 
Thought so.:) Spot & stalk would be great fun on coyotes. That method gives one the opportunity to really study the critters' habits & behavior. Unfortunately S Tx. brush country not so much for coyotes, anyway. I did a lot of spot & stalk for larger stuff and that's a hoot. Thanks for sharing your many years of experience with those of us who, due to terrain, are unable to benefit from this strategy.
Oh, by the way, you're not an "old" predator hunter @ only 70, I wish I could re-live my 70's; probably got a lifetime of hunting during my 70's. ;) Wish you the same. (y)
 
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